


Crossroads

by Saria118



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 05:56:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16382663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saria118/pseuds/Saria118
Summary: connected to my Different Paths ongoing challenge fic but you don’t need to read it to get it. This follow up idea would not leave me so here it is. Cullen is at a crossroads in his life and Hawke gives him an earful, as well as an eyeful





	Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to read the fic that this is connected to and refrences its here https://archiveofourown.org/works/15554706/chapters/36598122

After two years of business as usual everything seemed to blow up all at once. The Inquisition disbanded, elves disappearing, the world still at each other’s throats and worst yet Orlesians trying to marry him off. Cullen had visibly shuddered at the letters Josephine had presented him, hardly listening to her thoughts on which might help their efforts.

All he could think was he had no purpose. Left at an uncertain crossroads. Should he help in whatever scheme he knew they to be planning secretly or find a new life? To these questions he had no answers all he knew was he was exhausted and wanted to sleep as long as he was allowed to at the Winter Palace. With a sigh he pushed the heavy door open.

“Oh there you are, took you long enough.”

Cullen slammed the door shut. He was tired delirious, yes that was it! Some more residual effects from his ending of lyrium. It most certainly wasn’t that he just found the champion of Kirkwall wall relaxing naked on his bed. No, that was nonsense, he’d open the door and find nothing but the room as he’d left it.

“Marker you’re jumpy. I got some great Freledan ale if you want to take the edge off.”

He hadn’t been hallucinating, Hawke was indeed lounging on his bed without any.....maker preserve him. Taking a breath he shut the door hoping to calmly and clearly tell that damnable woman to leave. But when he opened his mouth only nonsense came out.

“I. You. How? Here!? Naked! WHY?!?” Hawke only giggled at his flustered state, moving to retrieve a bottle of the ale she spoke of. Meanwhile a frantic Cullen tried in vien to find her clothes. Blasted mage hid them somewhere.

“Ah I have missed this you just can’t get a proper ale anywhere else.” She spoke, causing Cullen to wonder just how she could be so relaxed lying there like that? He wanted to die just being in the same room.

“But to answer your ummmm questions,” she laughed taking clear enjoyment from his discomfort as he tried to avert his eyes from her body. “I came here by boat, then snuck in. you really need better locks. I’m here to escort Varric back to Kirkwall, really just an excuse to make the trip longer. I am not naked Cullen.” He was about to berate her but she interrupted him simply stating. “I still have my smalls on so technically, not naked.”

“A small technicality.” He remarked angry. At her, at how well she’d hidden her clothes, at how the only way he could look at her was to stare at her face and those infuriatingly beautiful eyes.

“But true all the same. See it’s all the fun of being naked but still leaving you with something to take off me.” Curse her and that smirk on her face. Hawke knew preciously what she was doing as she so very slowly drank her ale. The bottle bobbing with her throat as the drink made its way down. Cullen tore his eyes away, a flush rising to his skin, among other things.

“That still doesn’t answer why!?” He snared trying desperately to keep his voice down the last thing he needed was someone barging in to find the champion in such a position.

“Well I should think that one obvious.” Her voice almost sang from behind him, for he dare not look. “I’m here to make good on your promise.”

It took him a moment thinking back on the strangeness of their last encounter. How in a such a short time he saw more of the champions depths than he thought possible. His nose scrunched as he remembered.

“That was your joke not mine!” He commanded turning to stare her down. A folly on his part, for while he’d turned his back she’d moved to her side carefully setting her assets to be viewed in their best light.

“Still a promise I intend to keep after all your work is done here.”

While he was certain it had not been her intent those simple words brought the weight of the world back on his shoulders.

“Please Hawke just go,” he sighed wearily. “I haven’t it in me to deal with your nonsense now.” Surprisingly though she sat up offering him the bottle and patting the spot on the bed beside her.

“Come now you look like you need it more than me.” For the first time there was no jest, no sultry undertones, only compassion. But still he was reluctant to move until she laughed. “I’m not going to ravish you against your will Cullen where’s the fun in that?”

Maybe he was too tired to argue or maybe it was that disarming smile of hers but he took the ale and sat as directed.

“You ever feel like you’re stuck at a crossroads Hawke?” Cullen asks after taking a good long drink. She was right nothing beat a good Fereldan ale.

“Oh constantly, story of my life really.” Briefly he wondered how she could sit so comfortably like that, but decided he’d probably rather not know.

“Hmmm well I never did.” He confessed. “All my life there was a clear path to take, even if there were turns I always felt sure that I knew where I was going, but now I’m not sure.....” Hawke watched intently but in a way that told him she was listening really listening. It was nice to vent in this way. Well maybe he’d be more comfortable if she had more clothes on. “I’ve always had doubts mind you, things I wish I’d said or done differently but never the path I walked. Now I fear I’ll be plagued by what ifs?”

“Ah that dreaded curse.” She remarked taking the bottle back, her hand grazing his making his hair stand on ends. “I know it well. What if I’d done this, what if I never killed that? You know I once lost a week of sleep that way?”

“So how do you manage it?” Taking the bottle from the unsuspecting Hawke, he continued. “And don’t say drinking, I won’t trade one vice for another.” Her pout turned into a smirk as Cullen placed it out of reach, settling herself closer, an arm resting on his shoulder. When he didn’t pull away she spoke.

“Well for a former Templar like you shouldn’t be hard, you just stop.” She made it sound so simple. “You train your mind to stop before it goes down that road otherwise you’ll do nothing.” And maybe it could be.

“That doesn’t really help my current situation.” He sighed.

“What you mean about shagging me?” She teased pressing her breasts closer to his arm. He pray she hadn’t notice she was indeed having an effect on him.

“No. I almost forgotten why you were here in the first place.” He laughed more to himself than anything else.

“Oh how you wound me commander!” She mock wailed falling backwards on to the bed again. Now he understood why she and Varric got on so well. “But honestly I’m the more pressing matter. No one says you need to make the choice now. Take your time maker knows you need a break.”

And he had to agree with her. It had been quite a life. He’d likely been through more than most well maybe save for the company he currently had.

“So how long are you going to lie there trying to tempt me?” He asked with a laugh looking down at the woman, who was definitely trying to hide how cold she was.

“Hmmmmm not sure.” She tapped her lips in mock thought. “My clothes are up there and I’d rather not deal with getting them down yet.” His eyes went up seeing a bag held in place with a dagger in the ceiling.

“So that’s where you put it.” No wonder he couldn’t find it.

“I’m still not sure how to get it down actually.” She confessed and he laughed.

“Um how long?”

“How long what?”

“How long have you...” marker this was embarrassing he rose to his feet rubbing his neck nervously. “Been interested..in ummm in me?”

Her blue eyes blinked at him and suddenly he felt very small pacing in the room.

“It’s just since last time I’ve been trying.... now and then to to place where this....came from. Back in Kirkwall you didn’t seem to be ....but clearly you are.” His hand gesturing to her lack of dress. “Unless this is all some joke...” which he wouldn’t put past her and that hurt him more than he thought it would.

A gentle smile spread across her face and he knew this was no joke. “I’d been interested in you since we met.” She confessed simply. “A passing interest at first I’ll admit but you are a peculiar man Cullen. And I only grew more intrigued. I like that in people.”

“Surely,” he coughed trying to hide his blushing and nerves. “Surely there are more interesting people.”

“Yes but not as many who blush so prettily and look good in a suit of armor.” She had that look in her eyes again, he wondered briefly if she was preforming magic the room suddenly so much warmer. “Do you know how unbelievably frustrating it was when I spoke to you at the gallows and you’d say,” she coughed adjusting her voice to mock him, “What would you have of me?” She laughed at her own poor impression. “Every time I had to bite my tongue to stop from answering, on your knees and between my thighs please.”

His face went red, all this time really? And now that he thought on it his word choice was rather poor. “But that I wasn’t I hadn’t meant..,” Unconsciously he put an image to her words and he didn’t dare look at her.

“Ok ok,” Hawke shook her head rising to her feet. “How about we make a deal?”

“A deal?” She nodded padding across the floor to meet him stopping a good arms length away from him.

“Kiss me.”

“WHAT?!”

“Just one kiss Cullen.” She giggled. “It can be as chaste as you like, I won’t do a thing save stand here.”

He raised a brow at her odd offering.

“I’m serious look if there’s nothing here then you won’t have a problem giving me a quick peck and I’ll be out of your hair, buuuuuuuttttt,” there was always a but wasn’t there? “If I’m right then I suspect I’ll be pleasantly pushed against the door.”

Cullen pondered his options for a moment she obviously thought herself right and well she wasn’t necessarily wrong. Still this was the only option as he rather suspected she’d walk out that door in her smalls purely to shame him if he refused. But then what if she was really only lying?

“Have we ventured into what ifs commander?” She asked breaking his thoughts. “Look I’ll even shut my eyes.” She teased making a show of the simple act and looking so very smug.

Oh fuck it, surely his restraint as a Templar could save him.

I didn’t the second his lips brushed the champions he was lost. She did as promised never moving an inch as his lips glided across hers and his hands moved to pull her closer. Hawke was so much softer than he’d thought she be, than she had any right to be. Yet her taste did not match, it was bittersweet and dark. An acquired taste like Fereldan ale, and he could not get enough.

Air and breathing meant very little now as he wanted to be as close as he possibly could to her. Just like she’d predicted she felt very pleasant pushed up against the door. Even through he clothes he could feel her every curve. Breaking only to taste more of her, Hawke said nothing not even a smirk only taking it as her ok to indulge herself. Raking her fingers through his hair. Whispering in his ear, “What would you have of me?” He shuddered in response.

———————————————

“So what is your crossroads anyway?” She asked sleepily lying half on top of him in a mess of bedding.

“To put it simply, stay or go.” He replied, his hand idly playing with her hair. Just how did she keep it so soft?

“Mmmmm the age old quandary.” She remarked. “Where would you go?”

“Well I, I don’t really know.” The hair he’d been playing with fell from his hand as she shifted. Lying completely atop his chest, he’d complain about the weight but well it was a rather nice weight.

“You could come with us to Kirkwall.” She suggested and maybe he was tired but he swore he saw no jest in her eyes but something else. Affection maybe? No couldn’t be. “Never know you might be useful there. In many ways.” There was the teasing as she poked his nose. “Or to just relax.”

“Really now in what ways?” He snickered his hand moving up her back slowly. Revealing in the feeling of her. Maybe this time he’d have some good memories of the city.

“Well let’s see...” Her thought was rudely interrupted by an opening door.

“Oh would you look at that, finally bedded him eh Hawke?” Cullen dared not look but he knew the voice. While Hawke laughed atop him he tried desperately to hide in the sheets.

“Varric way to ruin the mood.” She laughed.

“Hey not my fault you took too long we don’t leave now Aveline’ll have our heads.”

Cullen wanted to die. How could they just chat normally like this?!

“Oh drat, just give me ten more minutes.”

“Fine by me I gotta collect my winnings anyway.”

“Wait!” Cullen finally spoke. “What winnings?!”

“Well when no one could find either of you I suggested you’d be here together.” The dwarf laughed. “Of coarse everyone betted against me expect for Cole oddly....anyway they’re all gonna flip when I tell em this.” Soon enough the door shut leaving the champion with a very red commander.

“So how’s that crossroads of yours?” She asked with a smirk.

“No longer a problem. I want out of here as quickly as possible.”


End file.
